Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-03-10
clsveIand's balance Sheet.


3 Cleveland's balance Sheet.
Now that half Of President Cleveland's
administration is In the past, the news
paper press is indulging in q RETROSPECT
tive glance at what he has done and what
he has not done. The debts and credits
are put down with more or less fairness,
the lines drawn and the balance put by
some on one side Of the ledger and some
on the other.' On the credit side his
warmest supporters, and really his very
warm supporters are not very numerous,
put down to his credit, and earnest pur-
pose to reform the civil service. They
point to the large number OF public
officials, especially in the departments at
Washington, who have been retained In
office and who are republicans. They
claim that in making appointments the
President has not been governed by SEN
ators and representatives. in congress who
have personal ends to serve. They boast
tuut Ou thtu OnC OtCuStOu thC
recommendation of senators and repre-.
sentatives have been ignored and disre
garded at the peril of losing his personal
popularity. They boast Of the infexi
bility Of his purposes the strength Of his
spinal column and the size of his neck.
That he is an obstinate man hardly any
one will deny, and that he has way
when he puts his foot down. Of staying
there, will be admitted by most people,
especially by the officials who have felt
his weight,
On the other hand 1t is alleged that he
has made large number OF mistakes In
his appointments more than by any Of
his predecessors; that he has appointed
bad men TO Office all over the country;
that while he has disregarded, or pre-.
tended to disregard the recommendations
of senators snd representatives in con-
gress, his sources of information about
men have been corrupt and that his con-
fidence has been misplaced In such way
as to have been exceedingly detrimental
to the public service. This is set down
on the wrong side Of the ledger and when
the balance is stated 1t is on the wrong
side. After making all due allowance for
the exaggerations of disappointed office.
seekers, who are always disposed TO com
plain at the appointing power, we are
afraid that the President cannot Justly
claim any credit for improvement In the
civil service.
When we come to search the books
for credits due the President for having
inaugurated any policy looking to the
promotion and upbuilding of the coun-
try's material interests, we find only q
blank page Things have gone on with.
out any great amount of friction, not be-
cause of anything the President has done,
but for the reason that he found the ma.
chinery In good working order when he
went into the shop and all that he had to
do was to oil 1t and watch 1t run. This
he has done and II has run along. For
, this he deserves no great credit. He has
, introduced nothing new and has been
, furnished with all the means necessary
. to keep the old In motion. He is not
guilty Of recklessness, has not broken up
: the machinery wantonly, has not stopped
unnecessarily; but after all, has displayed
no extraordinary skill In runningit.
1t was claimed for him and his party
before he went into the White House
that his administration would be free
from the scandals which 1t was claimed
attached to some republican administra.
tions. He had not been In Office six
months before the name of one of his
, cabinet officers was connected with q
, scandal which smelled so badly that even
democratic papers noticed and repeatedly
called upon the President to remove 1t so
far away that his administration would
I. not suffer contamination. Unless Mr..
Cleveland is able in the next two years
to place something on the books to his
credit. II Is putting It very mildly to say
= that the balance TO his credit will be toe
q small to be appreciable. .-Rnorrille Jour
" nal